Indicator



p 27, 1932- L. c. HUNTER ET AL 1,879,265

INDICATOR rum April 12; 19:50 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 O O (T 9 l VENTOR ATTORN l 1932- v L. G. HUNT-ER ET AL 1,879,265

INDICATOR Filed April 12, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 'IIIIIIIIIIII/ my IN EN 0 5 ATTORNE Sept. 27, 1932- L. a. HUNTER ETAL INDICATOR Filed April 12, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY Sept. 27, 1932 1.. cs. HUNTER Ei'AL INDICATOR Filed April 1 12, 1930 5 Sheets-Shawl. 4

INVENTO 5,

A n I I ATTQRNE W mm mm Septl27, 1932. v a. HUNTER ET AL INDICATOR Filed April 12, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 VEglTO K ATToRNEY Patented Sept. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICER,

LY TLE GALE HUNTER AND HARRY B. REISIGER, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS T THE'HUNTER ILLUMINATED CAR SIGN COMPANY, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK,

A PARTNERSHIP COMPOSED 0F LYTLE J. HUNTER. FENLEY HUNTER, AND G ALE HUNTER .mmcaron Application filed April 12, 1930.- Serlal' No. 443,726.

This invention relates to a novel and improved form of indicator, particularly of the type used in subway trains, street cars, and the like. The novel features will be best understood from the following description and the annexed drawings in which are shown certain selected embodiments of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a face view of the indicator as seen, for example, from the outside of a car in which the indicator is installed.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, part of the car wall being shown.

car, whereas the window 6 exposes it to view on the interior of the car. The web may be used to contain a plurality of route designations and the rolls may be operated b a ham way. The windows 5 and 6 not only expose the web to view butalso provide light for illumination. It is, of course, understood that this web is'opaque and has route designations on opposite sides thereof so arranged that the same designation is given simultaneously through both Windows 5 and 6. 1g. 3 is a view of the indicator as seen Supported in the casing as on shelves 8, is from the interior of acar with which it may a box 9 having an opening 10 in the bottom be used. i thereof through which may project a socket Fig. 4 is 11 adapted to receive an electric lamp 12. Fig. 3. The box is provided with openings 13 and 14 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a. form of disposed on opposite sides of the box and with 93 web forming part of the invention. a p ed top 1 The CaS 1ng1 S provldedyvith Fig. 6 is a. longitudinal horizontal section W ndows 16 and 17 registering respectively through one of the boxes shown in Fig. 2. With the openings 13 and 14.

ig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of n he bo 9 1s a ign n the fq m of a web n Fi 6, 18 mounted on rolls 19 and 20 in the lower F ig. 8 is'a face view of the novel form of part of the box adjacent the lower corners.

bearing for supporting the ends of the shafts carrying the rolls.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 8. 33 Fig. 10 is a view on the same plane as Fig. 2, showing a modified arrangement of boxes with respect to the lighting means therefor. Fig. 11 is an elevation taken gles to Fig. 10, and showing the ficat-ion.

Fig. 12 is a view of the novel form of web which may. be used with our indicator. F ig.- 13 is a wiring diagram showing how a plurality of indicators may be controlled to ether.

Tteferring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the indicator comprises a casing 1 which may be seecured in any desired manner in a car, the wall of which is indicated at 2. According to one feature of this invention, the route, is continually shown by one sign, here shown as a. web 3 mounted on rolls l'disposed on opposite sides ofwindows 5 and 6 in the lower part of the casing 1. The'window 5 a section on the line 4-4 of ings 13 and 14 and over idler rolls 21 in the upper corners of the box.

As best shown in Fig. 5, the web 18 carries terminal designations 22 and 23. The two designations 22 are the same, except that they are arranged in a pair with the two designations in the pair spaced longitudinally of the web and at such a distance that when one of 'thesedesignations is exposed through the opening 14 and the window 17, the other designation of the pair will be exposed throu h the openin 13 and window 16. The same holds true oft e designations indicated at 23. By this arrangement, it will be seen at right ansame modi neously from the same web at windows on the inside and outside .is disposed between these two designations so that it serves the purpose of illuminating both of them simultaneously, it being understood that the designations are translucent. By this we mean that the characters forming the designations may be translucent and their background opaque, or vice versa.

dle 7 throughgearin g, not shown, in t e usual that similar designations are exposed simultaof the car. The lamp 12 exposes the web to view on the outside of the .75 This web is carried upwardly past the open'-- 1 Supported on the box 9 is a second box 24 havin a closed bottom 25 resting upon the closed top 15 of the box 9. The top of the box 24 is provided with an opening 26 through which depends a lamp 27 secured in a socket 28 in the top of the casing. This lamp 27 is provided'with a neck 29 of such a length that the socket 28 need not extend into the box 24. By this arrangement the box 9 may be placed in the casing first, the opening 10 in its bottom receiving the socket 11. i

The web 18 has preferably adjacent each end thereof, a hand hole 18a (Fig. 5) through which the lamp 12 may now be inserted in the socket 11. In case a plurality of lamps are used, a. hand-hole may be provided for each lamp, or one hand-hole maybe used to insert several lamps, as desired.

After the box 9 is in place, the box 24 may be slid into position on top thereof, as indicated in Fig. 2. Then the lamp or lamps 27 may be placed in their respective sockets 28 by inserting them through one of the openings 30 or 31 in the-box 24 and through a handhole in the web 18, this web being provided with handholes similar to those just described above in connection with the web 18. Here, again, the number of lamps and handholes may be varied to suit various conditions.

It is, of course, understood that the vehicle on which the indicator is used will usually travel in opposite directions over a certain route. There may be different terminals for the vehicle in either direction of travel. For example, if the route is one running north and south, it may be that when the vehicle is traveling north over its route, there are several terminals, any one of which may be used as the end of its northbound trip. Similarly,

- of course, for its southbound trip, any one of a number of different terminals may be adopted. Therefore, we preferably place on one web 18, designations of all the terminals for the vehicle when traveling in one direction, and on the other web 18 we place designations of all the terminals for the vehicle when traveling in the opposite direction.

The casing has windows 32 and 33 registering with the openings 30 and 31 respectively, and the box 24 carries a web 18' corresponding to the web 18 in all essentials. In this box, however, the web is mounted on rolls 20 supported in the top of the box, and the web runs over idlers 21 in the bottom corners of the box. Otherwise, the arrangement is identical with what is used in the box 9.

Each web is operated by a handle 34, Figs. 3 and 6, through suitable gearing indicated generally by the numeral 35 in Figs. 6 and 7 The details of this gearing may be varied, as desired, and need not be further described. At the windows 16, 17 32 and 33, there is pzeferably shown the word to which may accompanied by an arrow, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, for .the purpose of indicating to a passenger the terminal toward which the train or car is traveling. These designations may be permanently aflixed to the windows or may be placed on separate webs, as indicated at 35 in Fig. 6. The windows 16 and 32 .are mounted in a door 36 which maybe minal designation toward which the car istraveling, leaving the other terminal designation darkened by turning off the light which is provided for illuminating it. In this manner there is avoided the uncertainty and the loss of time involved in previous arrangements by which the trainmen were required to change each individual sign. Often such change is not made at all or is improperly made. lVith our invention, the two terminal designations and the route are properly displayed at the beginning of the day or other period of time during which the car is to be used on a certain route. Then, at the beginning of the first trip the lamp or lamps behind the designation of the terminal toward which the car is moving is lighted, and the lam behind the other terminal designations 1S turned off. At the end of the trip the illumination of the terminal designations is reversed. This operation'need not require the attention of individual trainmen but may be operated by the motorman in charge of an entire train. For example, Fig. 13 shows a wiring diagram in which are graphically indicated the webs 18 and 18 in a plurality of cars. In this diagram .one lamp is shown for each web, although in the other figures of the drawings two lamps are shown for each web, this obviously being a matter of design. The lamps 27 may be connected in parallel to a source of energy 40, and the lamps 12 may similarly be connected to the same source, and then all the lamps 27 and all the lamps 12 may be alternately illuminated by the operation of a two-way switch 41. This switch may conveniently be located at the motormans station, so that he may operate the lights on the entire train.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, and particularly to Fig. 6, we have shown the rolls 20 as provided at their ends with shafts 42 received within bearings 43 which will be more fully described presently. These bearings are fixed on the wall of the box so that the axis of the roll shaft is alsofixed.

Each roll is provided adjacent its end with a disk 44 cooperating with a friction disk 45 having a hole through which the shaft 42 passes. A plate .46 carries and bears against both of the disks 45 which are disposed substantiall in a common plane, and any force exerted y the friction disk is governed by a spring 47, the tension of which maybe controlled by anadjusting screw 48. By this arrangement the tension on the web is maintained at a desired amount and, at the same time, the bearings for the roll shafts arefixed. It has been common in prior art constructions to have these hearings movable but, according 'to our invention, this is avoided, and at the same time an efficient tensiondevice is rovided.

eferring now more particularly to Figs. 8 and 9, it is seen that the bearings 43 comprise two parallel fixed members 49 which are here shown as loops in a one-piece metallic plate. These two fixed members form two opposite sides of the bearing, and the other two sides are formed by the legs 50 and 51 of a U-shaped bar. This bar passes through holes in the members 49 and the leg 51 is seen to be shorter than the leg 50, so that upon movement of the bar toward the left, as viewed in Figs. 8 and 9, the end of the leg 51 will move out of the way so that the shaft 42 may be removed. A spring 52 bearing between one of the members 49 and a head 53 of the leg 50 normally retains the bar in operative position to secure the shaft in place.

In Figs. 10 and 11 we have shown a medi fication of the arrangement for mounting the lamps to illuminate the webs l8 and 18. In this form the lamps 12 and 27 are mounted in sockets which are supported on aflexible member 54 which is hinged at 55adjacent one end of the casing between the boxes and latched at 55', the lamps and sockets projecting through openings therein. By this arran ement, each box 9 and 24' may be independently supported in the casing and the member 54 may be flexed one way or the other, as is necessary to getthe lamp sockets out of the way when the boxes are being inserted. V

In Fig. 12, we have shown a web 56 having terminal designations 57 r and .58 thereon arranged with respect to each other in the same way as indicated in Fig. 5. In this form, however, the sheet is white on the side which is exposed to the reader. The other side is coated with some substance which renders the web opaque, it being of course understood that 60 the web is made of the usual cloth which is portions of the translucent web itself and the background for the letters is formed by the relatively opaque coatin This coatin may be of any suitable material but we have ound that'an ink maybe formed of powderedaluminum and varnish, which will 'ivejthe desired results. This gives a background of the color of aluminum or silver and when there is no light behind the web the front or uncoated part appears substantially all white, although the letters may be discerned by a close inspection. Upon turning on of a lamp behind this web the letters or other characters standout prominently.

;While we have shown the invention as embodied in a specific form, it is to be understood that variouschanges in details may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, and we therefore do not intend to limit ourselves except by the appended claims. a a

1. An indicator comprising three signs, one indicating a route and theother two indicating opposite terminals of said route, means for continually illuminatin the route sign, and means for alternately il uminating said terminal signs.

2. An indicator comprising three webs forming signs, one of said webs being opaque and having aoroute designation on both sides thereof, means for illuminating both of said sides, the other two webs being translucent and having terminal, designations thereon,

and means for alternately illuminating said two webs. V

3. Anindicator comprising three webs forming signs, one of said webs being opaque and having a route designation on both sides thereof, means for illuminating both of said sides, the other two webs being translucent and having terminal designations thereon at a plurality of spacedpoints, and meansfor sponding to the route indications on said,

first-named web, eachof said two webs being supported in said casing, and means to past an aperture in move each of said webs the casing.

5. An indicator comprising a box of rec-' tangular cross-section, rolls in two adjacent cornem .of the box, a web having translucent portions and secured at its opposite ends to said rolls, means to operate said rolls, idler rolls in the other two corners of the box over which said web passes, a lamp within the box and extending between said rolls into the path of the web over said rolls, a plurality of apertures in the box adjacent said path, and means to turn said lamp off and on.

6. In combination, a plurality of similar indicatorseach comprising two signs indicating opposite terminals of a route, an electric lamp disposed behind each of said signs and adapted to illuminate the same, and means adapted to light all of the lamps behind the signs indicating one terminal, and to put out the lamps behind the other signs.

- 7. In an indicator, a-roll adapted to carry a web and'having a shaft, a bearing for said shaft comprising two fixed members parallel to each other and disposed on opposite sides .of the shaft, and two slidable members disposed on opposite sides of the shaft at right \angles to said fixed members and one shorter than the other, whereby upon movement of said slidable members said shaft may be released when said shorter member is moved past the shaft.

8. In an indicator, a roll adapted to carry a web and having a shaft, a bearing for said shaft comprising two fixed members parallel to each other, a U-shaped rod extending throu h holes in said members and adapted to em race the shaft between opposite legs of the U, said U-member being slidable in said holes and one side of the U being shorter than the other whereby upon sliding movement of the U the shaft may be released.

9. In' an indicator, a pair of rolls and a web secured at opposite ends to said rolls, a friction disk on the end of each roll, said disks being disposed substantially in a common plane, shafts on the rolls extending through said disks, fixed bearings receiving said shafts at their ends, friction disksengaging said first-named disks and secured to a common connecting member and having holes through which said shafts pass, said member being disposed between the bearings and said first-named disks, and means resiliently urging said friction disks toward the disks on said rolls.

10. An indicator-comprising a casing, two boxes disposed in said casing one above the other, means on the casing to support'the lower box and the other box being supported on the lower box, changeable signs in each of said boxes adapted to. be. displayed at apertures in said casing and .box,a lamp socket in the casing and projectin through a hole in the bottom of the lowerliox, and a lamp socket in the top of the casing so disposed as to permit the upper box to beslid laterally in position on top of the lower box, said upper box having an opening in its topto permit a lamp to be inserted in said upper socket and to depend into said upper box; I

11. An indicator comprising a casing, two boxes disposed in said casing one above the other, means on the casingto support the lower box and the other box being supported on the lower box, changeable signs in each of said boxes adapted to be displayed at apertures in said casing and box, a lamp socket in the casing and projecting through a hole in the bottom of the lower box, and a lamp socket in the top of the casing so disposed as to permit the upper box to be slid laterally in position on top of the lower box, said upper box having an opening in its top to permit a lamp to be inserted in said upper socket and to depend into said upper box and each sign having a. hand-hole through which a lamp may be inserted.

12. In an indicator, a casing having an opening in a wall thereof, a web extending across said opening, means to move the web, and a lamp on the other side of the web from said wall, said web having a hand-hole therein through which said lamp may be put in place.

13. In an indicator, two rolls spaced apart, a web having its opposite ends secured to said rolls and having translucent. portions to form sign designations on the web, means to operate said rolls together to unwind the web from one roll and wind it on the other, a lamp extending between said rolls, and means to guide the web around the lamp, whereby the lamp may simultaneously illuminate sign designations on opposite sides thereof.

14. In an indicator, two rolls spaced apart, a web having its opposite ends secured to said rolls and having translucent portions, means to operate said rolls together to unwind the Web from one roll and wind it on the other, a lamp extending between said rolls, and means to guide the web around the lamp, said web having a hand-hole through which said lamp may be reached from the other side of the web.

15. In an indicator, two similar boxes disposed one above the other and each having a web therein carrying signs, the lower box having an opening in its op and the upper box having an opening in its bottom, a flexible electric conductor disposed between said boxes, lamps connected to said conductor one projecting upwardly into the upper box and the other projecting downwardly into the lower box, and a casing supporting said boxes whereby the lamps may be manipulated first into one box and then into the other to permit insertion of the boxes into the casing.

16. In an indicator, a roll adapted to carry a web and having a shaft, a bearing for said shaft comprising two fixed members parallel to each other and, disposed on opposite sides of the shaft, two slidable members disposed on opposite sides of the shaft at right angles to said fixed members and one shorter than the other, whereby upon movement of said slidable members said shaft may be released when said shorter member is moved past the tion on opposite sides of the shaft.

' 17. In an indicator a roll adapted to carrg a web and having a shaft, a bearing for sai shaft comprising two fixed members parallel to each other, a U-shaped rod extendin through holes in said members and adapted to embrace the shaft between opposite legs of the U, said U-member being slidable in said holes and one side of the U beingshorte an the other whereby upon slidin move L of the U the shaft may be release and aspring resisting said movement and tending to, maintain both legs of the U onoppositesides of the shaft. j

18. In an indicator, a pair of rolls and a web secured at opposite ends to said rolls, a friction disk on the end of each roll, said disks being disposed substantially in a common plane, shafts on the rolls extending through said disks, fixed bearings receiving said shafts at their ends, friction disks en: gaging said first-named disks and secured to a common connecting member and havln holes through which said shafts pass, sai member being disposed between the bearings and said first-named disks, and a slug e spring urging both of said friction disks toward the dis s on said rolls.

19. In an indicator :1 pair of rolls, and a web secured at opposite ends to said rolls, a friction disk on the endof each roll, said disks being dis osed substantially in a common plane. Shafts on the rolls extending throu h said disks, fixed bearings receiving said s afts at their ends, friction disks engaging said first-named disks and secured to a common connecting member and havin holes through which said shafts pass, sai

member being disposed between the bearings and said first-named disks, a single spring ur 'ng both of said friction disks toward the d' s on said rolls, and means to adjust said spring to vary the friction between said disks.

20. In an indicator, a pair of rolls and a web secured at opposite ends thereto, fixed bearings rotatably supporting the ends of said rolls, and a friction brake disposed between and contacting with a bearing on each roll and the adjacent end of said r0 1.

21. In an indicator, a pair of rolls and a web secured at opposite. ends thereto, fixed bearings rotatably supporting the ends of said rolls, a friction brake disposed between and contacting with a bearing on each roll and the adjacent end of said roll, and means for adjusting said brakes.

22. In an indicator, a pair of rolls and a web secured at opposite ends thereto, fixed bearings rotatably supporting similar ends of said rolls, friction brakes disposed between and contacting with said bearings and the adjacent ends of the rolls, and means for adjustin said brakes in unison.

23. 11 an indicator, a pair of rolls and a web secured at opposite ends thereto, fixed bearingsrotatably supporting similar ends of said rolls, friction brakes disposed between said bearings and the adjacent ends of the rolls, said brakes comprising members on the rolls and other members cooperating therewith mem ers.

24. In an indicator, a pair of rolls and a web secured at opposite ends thereto, fixed bearings rotatably supporting similar ends of said rolls, friction brakes disposed between and a common support for said other said bearings and the adjacent ends of the I 0 engagement with said brakes comprising members on the 26. In an indicator, a casing, a box .dis-

posed in said casing and having therein a Web extendin past an opening in the wall of the box, a lamp socket supported on said casing adjacent said box, and a lam in said socketand projecting through a ho e in the box position to illuminate said web at said open1ng.-

27. An indicator comprising three webs formin signs, one of said webs having a route esignation thereon, means for illuminating said designation, the other two webs havin terminal desi ations thereon and means %or alternately illuminating said terminal designations.

28. An indicator comprising designations of a route and of the terminals of said route means for continually illuminating said route designation, and means for alternately illuminatin the designations of the opposite terminals 0% the route.

29. In an indicator for a vehicletraveling in opposite directions over a route, two webs, one web having a plurality of designations naming difi'erent terminals for the vehicle when traveling in one direction over said route and the other web having a plurality of designations naming difl'erent terminals for the vehicle when traveling over the route in the opposite direction, means associated with each web to expose the designation of a single terminal thereon at a time, and means to operate each web to bring selected desig nations into view.

30. In an indicator for a vehicle traveling in opposite directions over a route, two webs one web having a plurality of designations naming different terminals for the vehicle when traveling inone direction over said route and theother web having a plurality oi designations naming different terminals for the vehicle when traveling over the route I in the opposite direction, means associated to guide the web with each web to expose the designation of a single terminal thereon at a time means to operate each web to bring selected designations into view, and means to alternately illuminate the exposed designations on said webs.

31. An indicator comprising a box having rolls therein, a web having translucent portions and secured at its opposite ends to said rolls, said box havin opening in one side thereo a lamp projecting through said opening into the box, means around said lamp during its assage from one roll to the other, and a. fi dxible electric conductor connected to said lamp and extending parallel to the side of the box having the opening therein, where b the conductor may be manipulated to place the lamp in the box or to remove it therefrom.

32. An indicator comprising a web having a plurality of designations thereon, said designations bein formed by translucent ortions of the we with the rest of the web orming a background therefor, said background being 0 aque and of a color'approximating that 0 the color of the translucent portions, and a lamp to pass light through said translucent portlons, whereby, when said lamp is turned on said translucent portions will stand out against the background, while, when the lamp is turned off, the contrast between the background and the translucent portions is substantially removed.

33. In an indicator, a casing, a box disposed in said casing, a web disposed in said ox and movable past an opening in the wall thereof, means to removably support said box in said casing, and a lamp supported on said casing in position to illuminate said web at said opening, said box with the web there in being removable from said casing as a unit.

34. An indicator comprising a web having relatively translucent and opaque portions so arranged with respect to each other as to a wall with an nated by light from the back of the web and become substantially invisible when illuminatlpd entirely by light from the front of the we '36. An indicator comprising a web of light-colored translucent. material, portions of said web being coated with an opaque light;colored substance and other portions left uncoated and translucent, said en opaq e and translucent portions being so arranged with respect to each other as to define the boundaries of predetermined characters and the colors of said translucent and opa ue portions being so related to each other t at said characters become visible when illuminated by light from the back of the web and become substantially invisible when illuminated entirely by light from the front of the web.

37. An indicator comprising a web of lightcolored translucent material, portions of said web being coated on its back with an opaque light-colored substance and other portions being left uncoated and translucent, said opaque and translucent portions being so arranged with respect to each other as to define the boundaries of predetermined characters and the colors of said translucentiand opaque portions being so related to each other that said characters become visible when illuminated by light from the back of the web and become substantially invisible when illuminated entirely by light from the front of the web.

LYTLE GALE HUNTER. HARRY B. REISIGER.

define the boundaries of predetermined oharacters, the colors of said translucent and opaque portions being so related to each other that said characters become visible when illuminated by light from the back of the web and becomes substantially invisible when illuminated entirely by light from the front of the web.

35. An indicator comprising a web having relatively translucent and opaque portions so arranged with respect to each other as to define the boundaries of predetermined characters, said translucent and opaque portions having substantially the same color as viewed from the front of the web, whereby said characters become visible when illumicenmmam or CORRECTION,

Patent No. 1,879,265. September 27, 1932.

LYTLE GALE HUNTER ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, lines 129 and 130, claim 5, strike out the words "the box and extending between said rolls a into"; and in line'129, after the' word "lamp" insert the words extending between said rolls into the box and; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this-15th day of November, 'A. D. 1932.

v M. J. Moore, a (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.- 

